He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
by Leonhart17
Summary: *one shot* It wasn't every day that she missed Tim like this, but it did happen occasionally. And donuts helped some, but nothing made her feel as safe or secure or calm as lying on their couch with Callie's arms around her.


It's my brother's birthday tomorrow and I found this on my computer and was inspired to finish it up. Happy birthday, brother!

*Also, since this place sucks so bad lately, it might be one of the last stories I post over here - so if you want to stick with me, I'll be over on LJ (link's on my profile) and eventually on AO3 when I get my invite code*

* * *

"_The Dolphins have it first and goal on the eight…" _The TV was loud and Callie whooped, not turning when the bedroom door opened behind her. "Come on, babe, the first half is almost over!" she called over her shoulder. Arizona sat on the other side of the couch and Callie glanced over. "Hey, that's a new look," she noted, looking at the football jersey dwarfing her wife's form.

Curling her knees under the shirt and up to her chest, Arizona just shrugged without speaking, crossing her arms over her legs and resting her chin on them as she stared at the television.

Callie was distracted from her game now though, seeing something in her partner's eyes that made watching the game impossible. Not when Arizona was sad. She hadn't said anything, but Callie could see it. Her wife was sad and she needed to fix it. Or at least close the space between them and give her a safe place to be sad.

She didn't speak either, just slid over one cushion and draped one arm casually across the back of the couch. Arizona unfolded a little, leaning into her shoulder and relaxing her legs so Callie could pull one across her lap, rubbing her thumb idly across a bare calf. Callie didn't push, waiting on her to talk, and she loved her for that.

The hand behind Arizona reached for her shoulder, rubbing her back, her arm, the side of her neck, fingers moving slowly into her hair on the upstroke. They watched the end of the half in silence, Arizona's head coming to rest on Callie's chest, unconsciously matching her breathing to the steady, slow pace of Callie's heartbeat under her ear.

"It was my brother's." The murmur was almost lost under the sound of a Doritos commercial, except that Callie wasn't listening for anything but her wife's voice. "The shirt, it was Tim's." Callie looked down but Arizona was still facing the television and all she could see was the top of a blonde head. "He loved football."

"Yeah?" asked Callie, leaning her cheek against soft hair. Arizona rarely talked about her brother but Callie didn't push, in spite of her own curiosity. Whatever hurt Arizona was something she wouldn't do.

Arizona breathed deeply, still not lifting her head. "He used to wear this every Sunday, just to watch the games on TV, you know. Not like we actually went to any of them." Callie just kept stroking her arm and Arizona's hand reciprocated, rubbing the top of her leg. "I found it in his room, after…" Another deep breath, trembling this time as emotion choked her. "I don't think my mom or dad knew I took it, but I just… I needed something of him." She nuzzled into Callie's shoulder, the arm around her back tightening gently. "We got a flag, and his dogtags, but this was Tim, this was who he was before he was a Marine, when he was just my big brother."

"Baby," Callie murmured, breaking her silence. The pain in her voice was too much. She wanted to erase anything that would ever cause it to be there again. "Sweetheart…"

"I'm okay," Arizona's answer came without missing a beat, so used to saying it when questioned about her brother that it just slipped out.

It earned her a pinch on the back of the arm, Callie picking her head up. "Don't give me that," she said. "I'm your wife, Arizona. I won't push you, not about this, I never have, but don't tell me you're okay if you're not." She squeezed her leg gently. "Okay? And I'm always here to listen, but you don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to."

Arizona lifted her head at that, leaning back to meet her eyes. "You're my wife. I will tell you anything."

"I know this is different. This isn't work, or Mark, or even Sofia or us talk," Callie said, swiping a thumb under dark, deep blue eyes. Pain in those eyes was unbearable. She couldn't stand it, wanted to protect her from anything that would ever put it there again. "This is your brother, Arizona. And I love you, I love you more than anything, you know that," the blonde head nodded, blue eyes blinking, "But your brother, you and Tim, you've always kept him to yourself. And I get it. I really do," she promised, hand cupping her wife's cheek. She would do _anything_ for this woman. "I know how important he is to you," the present tense was deliberate, Tim would always be important to Arizona, "so I will sit with you anytime you need me to, I will sit here with you and hold you and I will never push you, okay? You don't have to tell me anything you're not comfortable with." She took a deep breath, other hand coming up to frame Arizona's face. "I will sit here with you all night and we don't have to say a word."

Arizona shook her head under the hands. "I don't want that. I mean, I appreciate that, and I love you for offering, and for being wonderful and amazing and miraculous. But I want to tell you everything, Callie. I want you to know everything about me, have everything." She smiled, a real smile, even as tears broke suddenly over her lashes and cut two fast paths down her cheeks. "He would have been your brother too. And he would have _loved_ you," she said hoarsely, chuckling. "He probably would have tried to steal you away from me, even if you are a Dolphins fan."

Laughing, Callie leaned in for a quick, soft kiss. "He'd have been out of luck," she promised in a whisper, thumbs wiping away the tears even as Arizona's grin grew. "I'm so yours."

"Tim always had a way with the girls," Arizona remembered fondly, turning around to lean back against Callie, her wife's arm wrapping securely across the top of her chest.

"Like you don't?" challenged Callie, leaning her chin on Arizona's shoulder.

"I'd have fought him for you." Arizona rubbed a hand across the arm curled solidly around her.

Callie kissed her neck, nuzzling into her and breathing deep. "You wouldn't have had to fight anyone. You never will." They shared a quiet moment and Callie stroked a hand down the length of her wife's arm, fingers playing with the edge of the jersey she was wearing. "So what brought the shirt out tonight?" she asked curiously, hoping she wasn't pushing. Fingertips slid under the fabric to rub little circles across the top of Arizona's arm.

Arizona expelled a breath of her own, relaxing into her wife's arms and ducking her chin to kiss the arm wrapped across her chest. "Nostalgic tonight, I guess." Her voice was hoarse and she cleared her throat. "And you like football too, like him. Maybe we could watch together? You could explain it to me."

Snuggling her closer, Callie squeezed her eyes closed. "I would love that, sweetie." Any more time she could spend with her wife, she wanted it. "Maybe we could get Sofia a little jersey too."

"I think Mark's already got that covered," Arizona said with a hoarse laugh.

Callie just scoffed. "I bet he got her a Jets one - Dolphins are way better," she declared. Arizona smiled, glancing down at the Patriots logo on her shoulder. "The Pats are alright too," Callie whispered. "And she'll match her Mama."

Arizona leaned her head back against Callie's shoulder, her neck extending and her eyes closing. "Callie…"

"Shh," the brunette coaxed, still rubbing her arm gently. "Thank you for sharing this with me. I wish I could have met him."

"He would have loved you," Arizona said quietly. "You two would have had a lot in common."

"Yeah?"

"You're both awesome," answered Arizona and Callie could hear the smile in her voice. "And I'm your favorite, you have that in common." Callie laughed, hugging her impossibly closer. Arizona Robbins was most definitely her favorite. "Seriously though, you're both badass and love football and rock climbing and crazy stuff like that."

"He sounds like he was a fun guy," said Callie. Arizona nodded against her chest and she pecked a kiss to her cheek and another below her jaw. "And it sounds like you two were close."

Arizona didn't say anything, just let Callie hold her. It wasn't every day that she missed Tim like this, but it did happen occasionally. And donuts helped some, but nothing made her feel as safe or secure or calm as lying on their couch with Callie's arms around her.

"I don't think we have any donuts here, but I can call Mark, make him go get us some," Callie suggested without prompting from her, practically reading her mind. "It would serve him right, all the crap he's always taking from our kitchen, and the weird stuff he always needs."

Arizona laughed, kissing the arm wrapped around her again. "That's a sweet offer, making Mark go…"

"I would go myself, but I'd rather stay here," Callie said with a smile, rubbing her shoulder. "I like when you're all snuggly." And she couldn't leave Arizona sad and alone, even for as long as it took to run to the store.

"How about we order pizza instead?" Arizona suggested, settling in comfortably. "Sofia's probably already down, and he'd have to pack her up and everything…" She yawned. "He can pick some up for breakfast," she decided.

Callie laughed, nodding. "Good idea. We know he'll be up at five anyway with Sof." She slowly slid one hand from around Arizona, slipping her phone from her pocket and easily finding the number for Arizona's favorite pizza delivery. Dropping the phone on the couch beside her after she placed the order and hung up, her arm found its place around her wife's waist.

"Callie…" She looked down at the top of Arizona's head, unable to help smiling at the waves left behind where she'd released the thick braid that wound through her hair. "Thank you."

Sighing, Callie nodded, leaning against her. "Of course. That's how this works," she promised her softly.

Arizona turned the volume up on the television and flapped one hand at the screen as she settled more completely against her wife. "Okay, so what's happening now?"


End file.
